Tag Archives: Capt. Wes Brighton
Fishermen, fleet owners hope Trump helps their industry
New Bedford fishermen fly many flags. There is the American flag, the skull and crossbones flag. There are flags expressing resistance to offshore wind development. And there are many — many — flags for former President Donald Trump. But one flag is rarely hoisted on the New Bedford waterfront. “I have yet to see a Harris-Walz flag on a fishing vessel,” said Drew Minkiewicz, an attorney representing the industry’s Sustainable Scalloping Fund. The vast support for Trump among fishermen boils down to a few main points, some specific to the fishing industry, some not. Trump has said that he would overturn the ban on commercial fishing in Marine National Monuments, which was first enacted by the Obama administration, repealed by Trump and then re-established under President Joe Biden. There are frustrations with immigration policy and with inflation, especially with gas and food, which have an acute impact on the profits of a fishing trip. But no issue has swayed the politics of the fishing industry more than offshore wind development. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 18:50
The F/V Martha Rose: her catch, crew, and mission – As Fresh as it Gets
Three times a week, the Martha Rose sets out of Menemsha’s cozy harbor and, engine roaring, begins the 14-hour journey to the local scalloping beds. In weather fair or foul, the 77-foot fishing vessel chugs out of Menemsha Bight, rounds the nose of Aquinnah, and then charts a steady course to the southeast. The sea scallop beds currently designated as fishable lie one hundred miles out, and some thirty or forty fathoms down. Once the Martha Rose arrives, her crew of three waste no time putting out the ship’s dredge and preparing the deck to bring in the first haul. photos, >click to read< 09:26
Anchors aweigh for community seafood pilot program
“Although state and local regulations and federal guidelines have designated fishing operations as essential businesses, many large fish buyers have shut down or are offering prices too low for fishermen to recoup operating expenses and pay crews and other employees,” an MVFPT press release states. “Additionally, with restaurants and wholesale markets closed, many fishermen have [fewer] options to offload product. As a result, many commercial fishing boats have been unable to leave the dock. At the same time, widespread unemployment from lockdown orders have left many communities in greater need of food than in a generation. This project aims to help both the fishing businesses and the community food organizations who are assisting people experiencing food insecurity.” The initial participants in the program are Capt. Sam Hopkins of the FV Endurance and Capt. Wes Brighton of the FV Martha Rose. >click to read< 07:37
